my name is jessica. i am a wife, mom, Christian, daughter, & friend. i am married to my best friend. i am very happy, blessed, and oh so thankful! i used to teach third grade, but now i homeschool my two boys. God has led our family to adopt from Uganda. . .so that is what is currently BIG in our lives. . .!! God is amazing, and our story is nothing but HIM! i love (in no particular order. . . ) kissing on my boys, going on dates with my hubby, spending time with my family & friends, my bible, taking pictures, missions, decorating, bargain shopping, pinterest, mallo cups, old windows, white cheese dip, romantic comedies, ice cream, cooking, peonies, crafting, baking, thrift stores, yard sales, going out to eat. . .i could go on and on!

March 29, 2010

1. one thing that drives me bonkers is removing the carseat covers. . .ahahah.....the other day, i was bound and determined to get my van spick and span. while working on cleaning the car, i realized there was some mold in one of the carseats from some food that had been there WAY TOO LONG! YUCK! so, i removed the carseat covers and washed and cleaned and cleaned and scrubbed. . . i wish carseats come with an auto cleaning system installed. . . those and highchairs/booster seats are just yucky!!

2. menu planning. . . . when i meal plan for the week, our grocery bill is SO MUCH LOWER! this week our meals are all planned out. . . .

(intended for my chalkboard menu pic to be uploaded, but my card reader isn't working, so i could only upload pics from my point and shoot's card. . . )

3. speaking of meals being lower, i went to a couponing workshop last night and met these folks:

so, we went and got a few trees and we planted them the other day. it will be nice to see how they've grown in a few years! we've planted 7 trees now on the property!

6. oh sandal weather, i love you! i love having nicely painted toes. . . . here are some sandals i made recently. 3 dollar sandals at walmart and those embroidered buttons i was telling you that i purchased at the southern market and some fun ribbon i found in my ribbon stash!!

7. i made this lapbook to go with our resurrection eggs. . . .check out this link if you want to make one for yourself.

8. finally..............our photo class at scrappin in the city is soon, soon, soon!!!

i talked to sara the other day and we were thinking of doing a little photoshoot before the class! so. . . . . . if anyone is interested in getting a fab pic of yourself for your facebook or blog. . ..let me or sara or jenn or yvette. . .oh, yeah, yvette is playing around in europe, and paris, and belgium. . .can you say........jealous jess?

March 27, 2010

i went around and took them. . .when the light was best in the house, etc., but sometimes i feel i post too much secular stuff. . .i need to post more about JESUS. . .and since it is EASTER time. . .and this is truly a Christian's happiest holiday to celebrate. . .i pray that you know that Easter is about Jesus being crucified for us. . .for all of us. . .and that HE wants everyone to be in Heaven with HIM!

You can't go to heaven just by being a good person, you must be saved!

If you aren't saved, it is so easy to be! That's why little boys and girls become Christians at such an early age. . .but adults think it's something that is so hard to do! All you have to do is admit that you are a sinner. . .you must believe in Jesus. . you must believe that He is God's son, that He gave his life on the cross so we could live forever with Him in Heaven. You must believe he died on that cross, BUT He rose again, and finally, you must confess your sins to Jesus. Pray that He will enter your heart, and you will be saved!!!!

Thank you Jesus that it's that easy!!!

Ok.....I had to get that off my chest!Here are our Easter decorations. . . . . .

two little stuffed animals. mom made me the bunny years and years ago, and the lamb was in one of my easter baskets as a child!

Jesus is KING!

my bunnies. . .my mom made these back in the 80's, and i've loved them forever!my favorite color growing up was purple, so my bunnies shine in purple!

an easter fairy bunny. . .

some of my mother-in-law's rabbit decor. . . .

I bought a plain easter egg garland at TJ MAX.

found some linen material, backed it with felt and wonder under and wrote letters on each to spell THANK YOU JESUS. i hole punched both corners and tried it onto the egg garland with some raffia.

i also added strips of material, ribbons, twine, and other things around the eggs.

THANK YOU JESUS mantle. . . .

on our mudroom door!

our easter tree. . .

remember hubby sawed off some of my pink christmas tree that i made into a valentine tree?

well, guess what i did with it? i spray painted the sawed off part yellow! then stuck it in a tin container and some plaster of paris!!! now, we have an easter tree!!!

that 5.00 tree went along way. . .a valentine tree and now an easter tree!

made last year. . .just speckled the eggs with an old toothbrush and some watered down paint. . . .

hot glued the eggs to a wreath form then added some weeds from the yard!!!

March 25, 2010

the dollar tree has these cute frames in red, rusty orange, and black. i have a few black ones in the mudroom, but i bought this red one and decided to rub some turquoise paint on it to match my living room....now it only needs a picture!

my boys would kill me if they knew this! we were invited to a birthday party at a bounce place! well, their mom who remembers everything (YEAH RIGHT!) forgot about it, but read someone's facebook status that said their kids had bounced all day at a party or something. . . .well, i just sunk in my seat! i have to write everything down. . .and yes, i completely forgot about it!!!!

so. . .i found out this girl's room theme/colors and this is what we created for her!

a big lots frame painted tealish/turquoise

with some black and white paper with some tealish/turquoise paint applied. . . and a cutsy pink flower. . .perfect for a 4 year old!

March 24, 2010

my other precious friend L (that needs to start a blog or keep one going) and I went to visit her on saturday at the southern market's spring fling! it was really neat! it was like an outdoor fancy yardsale with new stuff. . does that make sense? . . .and if you would look and dig, you could find some super great buys! i bought a wreath that i've "re-done" and it's on my front door. . .and some monogrammed buttons that i'll share with you soon!!

ok...here's a little glimpse of her store inside the market. . . . .

i say look at that gorgeous piece of furnture, but she'll say how that piece is from reclaimed wood and she'll go on about this and that and she just draws you in with her knowledge about all things green!!!

wouldn't that be perfect in an art classroom? ahhhh....

second. . .

my friend. . .R, owner of nioka green, has finally started a blog! i'm so tickled!

i'd love for you to go leave her a comment and welcome her to the blog world!

March 19, 2010

i've always liked them, but it seems the older i get, i want to hold onto my youth, i suppose! ha!! not sure if that's it or not, but i do adore polka-dots. . . here's a few pics of some of the ones i saw around the house the other day. . .